7 May, 2020

Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services is pulling out all stops to ensure that its most vulnerable clients are taken care of, while stringently adhering to COVID-19 hygiene and social distancing protocols.

Employee and TAFE NSW graduate, David Hubbert said that the service is carefully managing aged and disabled clients by minimising their contact with other people and balancing social interaction for wellbeing.

“We help our aged clients by ensuring they’re well-stocked with groceries by collecting shopping lists from them, doing their shopping and delivering the packages to their doors, or helping them with the unpacking if they prefer.

“The only time support workers take aged care clients out of their homes is for banking or to ATMs to withdraw cash, while respecting banking confidentiality.”

According to Australian Government Jobs Outlook data, the number of aged and disabled carers in Australia is expected to increase by 39% by 2023, providing around 179,000 job openings over this time.

Mr Hubbert said that he is a strong advocate of the flexibility of online study and gained permanent employment with Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services after completing a Certificate III in Community Services with TAFE Digital.

“I developed the practical skills that I needed to support the individual interests, needs and rights of my clients and to develop productive, ongoing relationships with them,” Mr Hubbert said.

Maxine Edwards, Manager at Shoalhaven Neighbourhood Services, said that David has been quite a trail blazer by enrolling to study online and gain the TAFE NSW qualification he needed to secure a permanent role, after about a year of volunteering with the service in NDIS and aged care.

“We are tremendously impressed with the way in which David actively displays his course knowledge and skills when supporting our clients, by respectfully ensuring their voices are heard, and that their needs and interests are actively supported.”

Mr Hubbert is humble about some wonderful outcomes he has been able to negotiate on behalf of his clients.

“After a NDIS client had a stroke, I took responsibility for helping him find permanent accommodation,” he said.  “Lengthy negotiations with Southern Cross Housing were undertaken and just the other day we were notified he is at the top of the priority housing list and next in line for a house.”

Visit https://www.tafensw.edu.au/digital to explore hundreds of online courses available for enrolment now.

Media contact: Bonny Gunn, TAFE Digital Media and Communications Business Partner. M: 0417 134 048.